Mid-Summer Hail Storm Keeps Shop Busy in Carlisle

A severe mid-summer hail storm hit central Pennsylvania on July 18 and at least one local shop expects to see dozens of hail-damaged cars over the next few months.

“The weather systems are shifting. We”ve had more severe storms here the past two years than we”ve seen since the late 50s,” said Terry Lockard, the glass man with Bob Baish Glass, Body & Paint, located at 1249 Holly Pike in Carlisle, PA. The shop is owned by Dick Baish and has been in business since 1964.

On the day of the storm, the shop saw one vehicle come in with its rear windshield broken out, and the day after the storm, the shop did 40 estimates. Two days later, in heavy rain, only five vehicles came in for estimates, but Lockard expects a deluge of customers over the next few months as people notice their cars have hail damage.

“Some people may not notice until their next car wash,” he explained. The storm only lasted a minute or two, Lockard said, but this year’s hail event caused bigger and deeper dents. “This storm was worse that the last two seasons. We had bigger hailstones, but the storm hit a smaller area on the east side of the strip.